Combined cover holding-down and pressure-relief device for manways



' f 1630,672 May 31, 1927, A. SAGE C(SMBINED COVER HOLD ING DOWN AND PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICE FOR MANWAYS Filed March 12, 1925 Ii 1 1 6 11 I 8 10 C i511 5 7/ 0 07\ 31] I l 7 F ,9

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Patented ltilay Ill, 1927.

Ul ll'l ED STATES PATENT @FFCE.

ANl'DREl/V SAGE, 0F FARRELL BOROUGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

G'OMTBINEI) CIGVIER HOLDING-DOVUN AND PRESSURE-RELIEF DEVICE FOR.MANWAY$.

ways which held down by i Application filed for inl aiepioyioed 1th mauare closed by covers usually bolts.

in case pres-lure has zu'cumulated in the container, wl have been re violei u ly ien one or more of the bolts loosened, the covers sometimes blown oll, frequently doing direct injury to lives and n'operty, and also relcasiung great volumes of combustible gases which are liable to ignitimi The ol ect provision of means cidents.

l accompli means whereby the loosening cover bolt or the gradual and explosion.

in, View is die tor preventing such acwhich l have sh this object by providing of a manway means causes pressure, and also other fastening escape ot give warning of the existence of dangerous pr: sure.

Thus I provide a port connecting the inter:

-or o'l:' the container to atmosphere and lo 'a'ted adjacent to the bolt and which ISlUlCOYGlQCl by the loosening of lhe bolt so that through. through the p The pressure may escape thereescape of the pressure ort will also, by causing a hissing sound, give warning of the necessity of 'lhe workn'ian may then partially loosen some or all of the ren'iaming bolts, and thus lower the pr :Sure below the danger point,

before entirely releasing the cover.

in the accompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated the principles of my invention, but which ed to limit th com-traction shown.

section throu four of the cl one ot. them plan view of bolts and its detail of the is a detail in assemblage of the 5 to 9, inclusive are sectional lar to big. 3,

The following is the drawings.

A represents the manway ring which may be an int egral part of be riveted or tainer B. are circular, angular in sh the manway opening Usuall said 0 enin 's and rings if: in

the container, or may otherwise secured in place on of a tank or other conbut they may also be oval or ape.

March 12, 1925.

The ring A is provided with an upwardly extending, defining flange 1 upon which the cover 0 is mounted. Frequently a compressible gasket 2 is provided to produce a gas-tight joint.

The manway cover is usually by bolts cover.

Thus. I use tor this purpose swing bolts i) pivotally or otherwise attached to either the ring or the cover and adapted to be placed or swung into position between twin ears on the other element with nuts which are then screwed. down on the bolts to clamp them in position.

Thus in the en'ibodiment shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the bolts D are mounted on pins 3 between the sets of twin lugs 4, generally integral with the ring A, and said bolts are swung up between twin ears 5 extending from the cover C. 6 represents the nuts which are screwed on the bolts. The ends of the bolts may be upset shown to prevent loss of the nuts.

7 represents small ports in the cover (l, one adjacent to each pair of ears 5, and when unobstructed connecting the interior of the tank or other container to atmosphere. The ports are so located as to have their outer ends closed by closures or washers E mounted on the bolts D and tightened in place by screwing down the nuts 6.

In Figs. 1; 2 and 3, the washers are non circular and lit down into recesses or seats 8 in the edge of the cover and the ears 5 are provided with vertical lips or flanges 9 which engage the edges of the washers. The washers may also be provided with depending lugs 10 which lit down between the outer ends of the ears 5.

Compressible gaskets 11 may under the washers to provide closures for the ports 7.

The interengagement of the washer E with the flanges 9 prevent the bolt being pried outwardly from engagement with the ears 5.

It is evident that with the bolts and wash crs in place, as shown at the left side of Fig. 1, and also in Figs. 2 and 3, and the nuts screwed down, the cover is snugly clamped in place and the ports 7 are completely closed.

ll hen the manway cover is to be removed, the workman loosens one of the nuts slight- 1y, so as to partially open the associated be placed gas-tight port 7. t This will permit a limited escape of pressure, it such exists, and will result in a hissing sound, giving warning of the presence of dangerous pressure. If such evidenced, the workman in like manner slightly loosens a number of or all of the remaining bolts and permits the pressure to become dissipated or reduced below the danger mark. The nuts may then be fully loosened, the bolts swung down and the cover lifted off.

When the nut is slightly loosened, the pressure against the washer may tip the same, thus binding the nut. To prevent this I may interengage the nut and washer as shown in Fig. l, thus causing the nut and washer to move up and down as a unit.

In Fig. 5, I have shown the port closure in the form ot a circular washer E. In such an arrangement the nut (5 and washer E may, if desired, be constituted an integral element. I

In Fi n 6 the closure is in the Form of a latch member E pivotally mounted on a pin 12 between twin lugs l3 on the cover and having a bifurcated end which swings down to be engaged by the bolt 1). The free ends of the latch may be provided with upwardly extending flanges 1%- which are engaged by the nut and prevent the bolt from being pried outwardly from engagement with the latch In this modification, the underside of the latch is provided with a surface 15 which may be provided with a compressible gasket 16, and which is Len ers clamped down over the outer end of the port T.

17 is a spring which tends to elevate the latch when the nut is loosened, thus automatically unseating the port 7.

In Figs. 7, 8 and 9 I show the ports T in the manway ring instead or the cover, the bolts D being pivotally mounted on pins 8 between twin lugs i on the cover and swinging down between the twin ears 5 which extend from the ring A.

It will be seen that Fig. 7 is thus a reversal of Fig. 3; Fig. 8 a reversal ol" 5. and Fig. 9 a reversal of Fig. (3.

It is evident from the foregoing description that my invention provides salcty means which will obviate the cause of Erequent and, in many cases, serious accident-a in connection with nianwa'y covers.

lVhat I desire to claim is z-- In combination with a manway rin and a cover therefor, one oi? said clcments being irovidcd with a pressure-relief port leading to atmosphere, cover-securing and pressure relief means comprising a bolt adapted to clamp the cover to the man way, and a closure element embracing the bolt and having a projecting portion to cover the port, and a nut adapted to be screwed down on said bolt against said closure elementand when tightened clamping said closure element in place and said cover on said manway.

Signed at Farrell, Pm, this 9th day of M arch, 1925.

ANDREW SAGF.

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